Chelsea reach another final under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel and now have a chance of redemption against Liverpool in May. It wasn't a comprehensive performance from the Blues but they showed their quality in the second period to claim a comfortable 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.
A tepid first half meant the more entering aspects of the afternoon were found away from either side's goal and when the half-time whistle went both teams were very much in the game. The second period offered some of the same before Ruben Loftus-Cheek found some fortune to claim the ball just inside the box and rifled it home to give Tuchel's side the lead after 65 minutes.
That forced the Eagles to take more chances and with it Chelsea also found more openings with Mason Mount navigating one to slot home 11 minutes later to secure the win. It wasn't always a pretty game but there was plenty to take away from a number of aspects. We take a look at the moments you may have missed below.
READ MORE: Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Highlights: Mason Mount and Loftus-Cheek goals send Blues to final
Tuchel rages at Jorginho
The Blues struggled to get the ball moving well enough in the first period with both teams unable to find a great deal of room to manoeuvre if they lined up in similar formations. Chelsea and Palace were both presented with back fives to try and find their way through. However, Palace soon realised Jorginho's play wasn't quick enough as he paused over which pass to produce.
On one occasion the Italian drew a foul, and with it Tuchel's ire. The former Dortmund boss stormed from his seat in the dugout and to the technical area but his problem was not with challenge and entirely with the Italian. Tuchel was entirely aghast and stared his central midfielder down to ensure he knew it wasn't good enough.
Things didn't get too much better in the second period either as Jorginho played a poor pass towards Marcos Alonso with Tuchel throwing his arms up in frustration once again before taking his seat to go and cool off.
Patrick Vieira's wanders
Anyone who has spent time watching Chelsea this season will have grown accustomed to Tuchel's forays around his technical area. Whether it be in deep discussion with the wing-back on his flank, berating the fourth official or storming around it in disbelief, it's become a common part of a matchday experience to see the German coach and his cap dominate the side-line.
He was not alone on Sunday evening with Eagle's boss Patrick Vieira equally present on the side-line. The former Arsenal star paid no heed to the markings of the technical and regularly patrolled past the boundaries to get into discussion with the likes of Tyrick Mitchell.
What Reece James did to Jean-Phillippe Mateta and Wilfried Zaha
We often consider Antonio Rudiger as Chelsea's enforcer but Reece James made a stern claim for that title at Wembley. The wing-back showed all of his physical presence as part of the Blues' back three. The England international ensure the right side of defence was secure and on two separate occasions made sure Wilfried Zaha and the physically imposing Jean-Philippe Mateta were left floundering on the turf of the nation's stadium.
Antonio Rudiger's skill
Speaking of Rudiger; it's hard to have 90 minutes pass by without the centre-back delivering some prime entertainment on the pitch. In some standard play across the backline, Rudiger drew in Eberechi Eze and allowed the ball to drop behind him to make a Cruyff-style pass to Andreas Christensen. Very tidy.
In a rare interaction with Wilfried Zaha, of course the German international brought some of the dark arts too. After a challenge left both players on the floor, Rudiger ensured his legs stayed tangled with his opponent to keep him on the ground.
Thomas Tuchel's unbelievable semi-final record
The German coach has delivered Chelsea into a final in every competition they've played since he took the hot-seat at Stamford Bridge with this season's Champions League the only time they have not reached the zenith of a tournament. The Blues boss is developing a goliath reputation in knockout football and seems to be showing no sign of slowing down.
The 48-year-old coach earned a record of nine semi-final victories from nine semi-finals when Chelsea overcame Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and has since navigated through that round of the Club World Cup and FA Cup. Not bad at all.
